Problems creating primitives

I'm learning Maya bit by bit and really enjoying it. I'm following a couple if tutorials to understand the tool set and get myself accustomed to the interface (from being a 3ds max user for many years) and one thing is bugging me. When the guy in the video clicks on a sphere or cylinder or whatever it creates it at the origin of the viewport with the standard size and subdivisions etc. However when I click on the shape I have to manually draw it in the viewport. Am I doing something wrong, clicking the wrong button? Any help gratefully received.